The Grave Guardians of Sierra Leone

Remember that Kat Williams standup bit where he jokes about how every time you visit your dealer, there's a new, mind-blowingly powerful strain of weed that makes the last batch seem tame? Well, that joke has met reality and then some, according to a National Geographic article I stumbled upon recently. It seems the modern marijuana scene has evolved, boasting strains so potent they’d probably have Kat Williams doing a double take.

Weed is not the bob marley natural drug that was supposed to reduce anxiety, stress and numb pain, no. Over in Sierra Leone, a country you might remember from the intense movie "Blood Diamond," which depicted the harrowing civil war fueled by diamond trading, things have taken a sharp turn in the world of substance use. People there are seeking out some truly hardcore kicks.

In a twist that sounds like it’s straight out of a horror movie, Sierra Leone has declared a national emergency because some folks have started digging up graves. Yes, you read that right. They’re not after the bling of long-buried jewelry; they're hunting for human bones to create a chilling concoction. Mixed with Fentanyl and Tramadol, these bones are used to craft a psychoactive drug known locally as "Kush".

The BBC reports that this grim trend has gotten so out of hand that police in Freetown are now posted at cemeteries, tasked with stopping the macabre practice of exhuming skeletons. Imagine having that job description!

It’s a bizarre and stark reminder of how the search for a high can drive people to desperate, dark places. Meanwhile, the authorities are scrambling to put a lid on this grave situation and help those caught in the grip of addiction.